letters
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Do you want to comment on any of the stories in Commercial Motor? Does someone in the industry deserve a pat on the back—or a public dressing down? Or is there simply something you want to say to our readers? Don't keep it to yourself —drop us a line at CM Letters, km H203, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey 5M2 5AS. Alternatively, you can fax your letter to us on 0181 652 8971or e-mail it to Letters may be edited for length and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor.
Drivers shortage is of industry making
Much is written about the nationwide drivers shortage. I have been searching for weeks for a job in haulage, having decided at the age of 33 and after 18 years as a salesman to have a change. But it has shown me that the industry is its own worst enemy.
Well aware of the pitfalls of the job, I decided to give it a go and contacted some hauliers and almost every agency around Peterborough, but no-one was interested in people without experience of 7.5 tonnes or tachos. (How the hell did they get their jobs I wonder?) Despite telling these people that I have 15 years' clean driving licence, would be prepared to pay my way to HGV1 and am not afraid of hard work they still did not want to know.
Why is it the industry insists on starting people with 7.5-tonne experience when I can go to a van hire company and drive one away for the weekend having never before driven one?
So, come on industry; give people a chance to gain some experience and a decent wage then you might end up with a fleet of loyal, and suitably qualified, HGV drivers.
Lawrence Cleathero, Peterborough_